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Is Karaoke Art?: One man's adventures of karaoke and found art along the way and lives to tell all
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Dave Nixon (Owner of Absolute Karaoke) and Steven Slatten
The lights are low. As the music begins the crowd erupts into thunderous applause. Center stage a large gentleman cracks his lips open to start to sing. This is his moment. His chance to be a star. What does our unlikely hero pick to sing? The obvious choice of millions. “Like a Virgin”. Of course sung in “falsetto” Complete with choreography that would have Bob Fosse rolling in a cigarette and booze filled grave.
Yes Ladies and Lounge Lizards this is it Karaoke. Karaoke is the ancient Japanese word for “Drunk white people making a fool out of themselves in public. By their own choice” Well, maybe that isn’t a direct translation but that is what has become since gaining its popularity in the late 1980’s. Millions go to Karaoke all across America everyday. I set out to find out what draws the “American Idol” hopefuls to go out and do it even if they don’t have the talent to back it up. In my search I found that Karaoke is more then just a hobby that allows you to dress like Leisure Suit Larry and pretend to be a pop superstar. Karaoke can be Art.
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I know your saying to yourself. “Karaoke is not an Art" Art the theatre, music Wait hold on. Now we are on to something. Let's not forget singers. Yes, that’s right Singers are artists too. What happens when a professional singer takes to the stage at the local pub during a normal karaoke night?I put this up to the test a few weeks back when I stumbled upon The Cage in Hoboken NJ. It was just another Happy Hour on what could have been a humdrum Friday night. I was immediately greeted by John who is affectionately revered as the “Mayor of the bar” He cooks dinner for the happy hour crowd every week. I thought all this and a floorshow by Absolute Karaoke. I met with Dave Nixon the owner of Absolute Karaoke who told me “I've been hosting Absolute Karaoke for 8 years now. Mostly at restaurants bars & clubs, and on occasion private events like birthdays, retirements and even a couple of weddings!” Dave explained, “Karaoke isn't a bunch of drunks singing off key. It's a performance opportunity for people of all levels of talent. Some just have a song or two they really sing well, others never even knew they could sing at all." Dave continued by sayng "Then you get a lot of people like myself. Great talents that simply decided not to pursue a career auditioning for parts as an actor or singers in a band. We still want our "glory" just in smaller doses. A round of applause from a group of strangers and maybe a few friends is enough for most of us.”
Paul
Paul a soft-spoken singer told me "Karaoke is the only place in the world where I can just come in and sing a song. If I f*ck it up then great and if it’s good then great. It’s all about music and it’s all good” Paul with his solid gold voice that just stood out through the crowd on his version of “The Way” Made famous by the one hit wonder Fastball.
His words stood true as each performer came to the stage you could see the excitement on their faces. The hope in their eyes. Knowing that for that moment they are a star. So they go home to be bankers, lawyer’s even Starbucks employees but they had their 15 minutes of fame and no one was going to take it away from them.
Dave also made it very clear though that NOT all karaoke is created equal. He says, “Karaoke offers a DIVERSE selection of music. From show tunes to country to pop you name it, it's out on karaoke! I believe what sets Absolute Karaoke apart from the stereotype is that our karaoke nights are SHOWS!” “We don't just call up singers, we introduce an act! We pass out props, when they're called for and our singers are very animated. Weather it's just a few hand gestures or a full dance routine, I encourage and guide each and every performer to make the most out of their time in the center stage!”
So with that I put in my name in line to sing. My hands are sweating, oh god all mighty why are my hands sweating? I start to pace as I listen to yet another rendition of “Musk Rat Love”. God bless them. They announce my name and I walk up and I sing. I took brought a little bit of the blues back from one of my musical Idols “Janis Joplin. I was a nervous wreck singing the blues at Karaoke. When I finished the song the crowd leapt to their feet. It was at that moment, I realized there is an art to Karaoke.
It’s not in the music; it’s not even in the talent. It’s the love you feel when you are on stage. Art has never been the medium that you work in. Art is the love you give and the love you receive. At that moment I had a whole room of strangers who showed me love and I accepted it with open arms. Maybe my Japanese was a little rusty, I think the true translation of Karaoke is “Art is what makes you feel love” I have to tell you a little bar in Hoboken filled me with some art on what could have been a humdrum Friday night.
Fun Performance:
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